Mowing machine

ABSTRACT

A mowing machine adapted to be attached to a vehicle, as a tractor or the like, which comprises a carrier including cutter discs, which are mounted thereon for rotation about a vertical axis and to overlap each other in their operating areas. A plurality of gear wheels is disposed inside of the carrier and extends to its outer end for rotating the cutter discs. A plurality of cutter gear wheels is arranged each meshing the corresponding of the gear wheels. A carrying device and a drawing device are adapted to be connected to the rear end of a tractor and to its transmission, respectively. Tension springs and a cable connecting the carrying device with said carrier, are provided to balance out at least a part of the weight of the carrier upon raising the latter into transporting position.

United States Patent [191 Kiinig et al.

[ MOWING MACHINE [73] Assignee: H. Vissers N.V., Nieuw-Venne,

Netherlands [22] Filed: Dec. 9, 1970 [21] Appl. No.1 96,546

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 795,296, Jan. 30,1969, Pat. No.

[52] US. Cl. .l 56/6 [51] Int. Cl A01d 75/30 [58] Field of Search56/192, 6, 503, 25.5,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,690,040 9/1954 Miller etal. .L 56/6 w l 'ji I l l I3 y 8 4 Jan. 8, 1974 Primary Examiner-RobertPeshock Attorney- Ernest G. Montague 57 7 ABSTRACT A mowing machineadapted to be attached to a vehicle, as a tractor or the like, whichcomprises a carrier including cutter discs, which are mounted thereonfor rotation about a vertical axis and to overlap each other in theiroperating areas. A plurality of gear wheels is disposed inside of thecarrier and extends to its outer end for rotating the cutter discs. Aplurality of cutter gear wheels is arranged each meshing thecorresponding of the gear wheels. A carrying device and a drawing deviceare adapted to be connected to the rear end of a tractor and to itstransmission, respectively. Tension springs and a cable connecting thecarrying device with said carrier, are provided to balance out at leasta part of the weight of the carrier 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDA 8 74 sum 1 0F 3 PATENTEU 8974 SHEET 2 (IF 3 al'rasisss PATENTEU JAN 8I874 sum 3 BF 3 -IIFI MOWING MACHINE This is a divisional application ofthe co-pending patent application Ser. No. 795,296, filed Jan. 30, l969and now US. Pat. No. 3,623,300 issued Nov. 30, 1971.

The present invention relates to a free-cutting mowing machine with adrawing device which can be mounted on a vehicle, such as a tractor orthe like, and has a carrier designed as a beam and cutter discs locatedthereon, each being rotatable about a vertical axis and overlapping oneanother in their working areas.

Free-cutting mowing machines are known, which are only suitable for useas rear mowing machines with high power consumption. These mowingmachines comprise rotating drums which are arranged in pairs andoppositely directed and driven from the top. At the lower end of thedrums are located exchangeable centrifugal blades. The material to bemown is cut by blades which rotate at a relatively high speed, and mustbe conveyed between the drums. The conveying of the material consumes agreat deal of energy and furthermore has the disadvantage that the cutmaterial is crushed and cannot be deposited in swaths.

It is one object of the presnt invention to provide a free-cuttingmowing machine, which can be used as a rear mowing machine, as well as aside mowing machine and whose powerconsumption is as low as possible. Inaddition thereto the disadvantage of the known mowing machines isovercome. For this purpose it is especially necessary to avoid thecarrying of material, which hinders efficient cutting. The gravitationalforces of the mowing machine are kept as low as possible and theindividual parts are rapidly and simply exchangeable.

With this and other objects in view which will become apparent in thefollowing detailed description the present invention, which is shown byexample only, will be clearly understood in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of the mowing machine of the presentinvention;

FIG. 1a is a fragmentarytop plan view of FIG. 1 at an enlarged scale; 1

FIG. 2 is a section along the lines "-11 of FIG. 1, at an enlargedscale;

FIG. 3 is a section along the lines III-III of FIG. 1 through theclearing or swath drum;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a cutter disc provided with threecentrifugal blades;

supply the mowing machine with its own driving means or alternatively toprovide a driving means on each of the cutter discs. v

The driving gears 5 arehoused in the hollow carrier 1 and engagedirectly with one another, so as to form a series of gear wheels 5. Thecutter discs 6 are located directly in front of the driving gear wheels5 on the balcony-shaped projections 2. The cutter discs 6 are mounted onaxles 24 on which cutter driving gear wheels 7 are rotatably arranged,which engage with the corresponding driving gear wheels 5.Advantageously the cutter driving gear wheels 7 have a considerablysmaller diameter than the driving gear wheels 5.

Between the balcony-shaped projection 2 are provided recesses 8, openareas, gaps, clearances or the like, which extend rearwards into thecarrier 1. The

' into the carrier 1 that a large portion of the exterior cir- FIG. 5 isan elevation of the machine indicating the application of the mowingmachine according to the present invention as a rear mowing machine on atractor, the cutter and the projection for the blades being in operativeposition; and

FIG. 6 is an elevation of the same mowing machine in its inoperativeposition, i.e., in a raised position.

Referring now to the drawings, the mowing machine comprises ahorizontally extending hollow carrier 1. The latter has balcony-shapedprojections, recesses or the like 2. When used as side or rear mower, aconven tional inside shoe 3 is provided on the inner side. Near to theinside shoe 3 is provided a multiplication gear 4, a hydraulic motor orthe like. The illustrated design of the mowing machine, as side or rearmower, is driven by means of cone belts, a driving shaft, a hydraulicmechanism or the like. However,.it is also possible to cumference of therotating centrifugal blades 9 remains free. The geometry of the gaps 8must, however, in-

' clude at least the dept of the overlapping portion of the rotatingcentrifugal blades 9. Hence carrying of the material cannot occur atthese places. Advantageously the centrifugal blades 9 extend near to theadjacent projections 2 and their ends partly overlap the latter and thusthe adjacent projections 2 form fixed counter members for the rotatingcutter ends. Displacement of the cutter discs 6 with respect to thedriving gear wheels 5 makes possible the achievement of the highcircumferential speed of the centrifugal blades 9 required forsatisfactory cutting only at the cutter driving gear wheels 7 or of thecutter discs 6. Thus the gravitational forces are kept small, whichresults in the mowing machine having an especially low powerconsumption.

For conveyance of the cut material, the cutter discs 6.may be providedwith profiles, ribs 10, edges or the like. The cut material is notcrushed but is loosely placed over the cutting width.

The carrier 1 is substantially formed of a box, which is oiltight on allsides and which can be cast from one piece or can be composed of twosubstantially equally sized plates, namely a cover plate la, and a baseplate lb, which plates la and lb are welded together. The cover plate 1ais arranged above the base plate 1b, so that there is just space tointerpose the driving members between the plates. At the front edge, andparticularly near the projections2 the base plate 1b is shaped as anupward curving ski-shaped butting face.

For the fitting of the gear wheel, mounting apertures 11 are provided atthe rear of the carrier 1 formed by the plates la and lb, and the latterare sealed oiltight with screwed lids l2.

As is particularly noticeable from FIG. 1, the mounting apertures 11always have a length of two projection-widths, that is the driving gearwheels 5 for two adjacent cutter discs 6 can be fitted through the sameaperture. A similar mounting aperture is provided on the interior andexterior side of the mower cutter bar and is sealed oiltight with a lid13.

This particular construction of the carrier 1 ensures completeprotection of the gearing units from contamination by the mowingmaterial and soil, and further.- more makes the gearing members easilyaccessible.

According to FIGS. 1 and 6, a so-called clearing and swath drum 16 isarranged at the outer side of the carrier l, which throws or moves thecut material inwards from the side and ensures that the cut materialdoes not pile up at this point, and furthermore that the cut material isnot placed on the ground at this point, so that during the next workingprocess, the internal shoe 3 and the tractor wheels can be guided alongthis clear strip of ground without the cut material being damaged orpressed into the ground.

The clearing and swath drum 16 is located on the side opposite theprojections 2 at the end of the carrier 1. The clearing and swath drum16 can be freely and rotatably mounted on a vertical axis and, ifrequired, may be provided with a free-running gear, so that the drum 16is rotated only in one direction by the cut material.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. land 3 the clearing and swathdrum 16 is forcibly driven by a series of gear wheels or by one of thedriving gear wheels 5. In addition to the clearing and swath drum 16 onthe exterior side, which replaces or supplements the conventionaloutside shoe, another clearing and swath drum 16 can be provided at anychosen point of the series of gear wheels 5, e.g., in the center of thecarrier 1 or on its inside near the inside shoe 3. Thus it is possibleto make the swath drums especially close together.

The clearing and swath drum 16 comprises substantially the relativelysmall gear 14, which meshes with one of the driving gear wheels 5 and ahollow bearing shaft fixed to the latter and extended in verticaldirection, which at its outer end is connected to the actual jacket 16of the drum 16 and at the other end by means of interposed ball bearingsis located in a vertical bearing 18 of the carrier 1 and is located by ashaft bearing in the direction of its oblong axis. On its external sidethe clearing and swath drum 16 is provided, in addition to packingstrips 19, with projections or the like (not illustrated) which ensurethat the cut material is guided over the carrier 1.

According to FIG. 4 the cutter discs 6 have on their circumference slots20 which are slightly inclined to the circumferential plane of thecutter discs 6 and in which the centrifugal blades 9 are placed withadequate clearance. Near the slots 20 on the circumference of the cutter6 are bores for the three journal-pins 22 for the location of thecentrifugal blades 9.

The journal pins 22 of the illustrated embodiment have at their top enda head or collar 23 which is provided with a slot 24 in which a springring 29 for holding 11 the three pins 22 engages.

The described mowing machine can be used as a side mower and as a rearmower. FIGS. 5 and 6 show the using of the device as a rear mowingmachine in connection with a tractor 44. The carrier 1 is coupled to acarrying device and a suspension drawing device, which is located at therear of the tractor and which is actuated by means of a hydraulic liftunit. The carrying device and drawing device for the carrier 1 comprisesessentially a supporting frame 46 which is provided with coupling means(not shown) for mounting on the suspension of the tractor. Thesupporting frame 46 has the shape of a triangular carrier, whose lowerarms are connected by a transverse member 47. The so-called tractorframe 49 is hinged at a point 48 on the supporting frame 46 and has,approximately at its center a stop 50 by means of which it can be heldon the transverse member 47 in certain working positions of the mowingmachine.

At its free end the tractor frame 49 carries the mower cutter bar orcarrier 1, which in the operative position is also supported by theinside shoe 3 .on the ground;

The cutter discs 6 are driven by means of a driving motor or from powertake off belt pulleys 51, belts 52 and the schematically illustratedmultiplication gear 4.

Near the inside shoe 3 the carrier or mower cutter bar 1 carries anintermediate lever 53. The latter is connected over a tension spring 54to a fixed counter bearing 55, which is located on the tractor frame 49.A cable 56 is fastened to the end of the intermediate lever 53 whichgoes over a roller 57 located on the tractor frame 49 and is fixed to achange-over lever 58. This change-over lever 58 is a rocker arm which islocated on a hinge pin 19 in. a mounting 60 provided for this purpose onthe supporting frame 46. Furthermore, a bearing block 61 is located onthe tractor frame 49 which has on its end a lever 62 being hingeableconnected with the intermediate lever 53 by means of a lever 63. Thefree end of the lever 62, finally, is connected at a point 65 by meansof a tension spring 64 to the rocker arm 58. The suspension point 66 forthe cable 56 is disposed on the rocker arm 58.

The carrying device and drawing device for the cutter carrier 1 hasfurthermore a' protective covering 67 being pivotable in the directionof the horizontal loingitudinal axis of the tractor and extendingtransversely over the carrier 1. Above the cutter discs 6 is aprotective plate 67 which, by means of a support 68 is hinged to thetractor frame 49. Finally, the protective plate 67 and the carrier 1 arehinged to each other by the lever 69, the carrier 1, the tractor frame49, the protective plate 67 and the lever 69 forming a four-memberedcoupling composed of the four members a, b, c and d. The individualmembers of the latter are arranged and adjusted in such a manner that inthe working position according to FIG. 5 the protective plate 68 extendsapproximately parallel to the cutter carrier 1. In the raisedtransporting position according to FIG. 6 the protective plate 67 lieswith its front end close against the cutter discs 6. Changing theprotective plate 67 when changing from one position of the mowingmachine to another one is not necessary. This protective covering 67reduces considerably the danger ofacci-.

dents through stones, lumps of soil, etc., thrown out by the cutterdiscs or the clearing and swath drums 16, which rotate at high speedespecially in order to protect the driver of the tractor, provision isalso made for the individual parts of the rods holding the protectiveplate 67 to be adjustable in length, so that the working distancebetween the protective plate 67 and the cutter carrier 1 is adjustable.

In the mowing position according to FIG. 5 the sup- I porting frame 46carried by the tractor hydraulics is held in the illustrated workingheight. The mower cutter bar or the carrier 1 rests on the ground andcan be adapted to the contour of the ground by means of the tractorframe 49. The tension springs 54 and 64 are tightened. They release thecarrier 1 as well as the inside shoe 3. The cable 56 hangs completelyloose and releases in the adjusted position of the rocker arm 58.

If the mower cutter bar is to be brought into the socalled swathposition, i.e., if the carrier 1 and the inside shoe 3 are to be raisedfrom the ground, then the supporting frame 46 must be raised to acertain extent by the tractor hydraulics. As a result of the load fromthe carrier 1 the tractor frame 49 is pivoted downwards about itssuspension point 48, until finally the stops 50 lies against thetransverse bar 47 mounted on the supporting frame 46. Prior to that thecable 56 has been tightened by the simultaneous further tightening ofthe tension springs 54 and 64. The cable 56 holds now the carrier 1 inthe inclined position, which is necessary in order to move the carrier 1and the forward shoe 3 over the cut material and over the cut swaths.Through lifting of the carrier 46 and 47 by means of the tractorhydraulics, the entire mowing machine including the inside shoe 3 israised to a certain extent from the ground by the stop 50. i

In order to bring the mower cutter bar or the carrier 1 from the mowingor swath position into the transporting position according to FIG. 6, inwhich it is vertical, it is necessary to bring the entire mowingmachine, that is to say including the supporting frame 46, from theposition according to FIG. 5 into a position, where it is completelylowered to the ground. In this case the carrier l as well as thetransverse member 47 of the supporting frame 46 rest on the groundsurface. The tension springs 54 and 64 as well as the cable 56 are re- 1leased to such an extent, that the rocker arm 58 can be manually movedwithout difficulty from the position according to FIG. 5 into a positionpivoted through 180 according to FIG. 6. Thus the operative length ofthe cable 56 is shortened to a certain extent. Now the supporting frame46 is slightly raised by means of the tractor hydraulics and hence theinside shoe 3 is also freed from the ground. Since the tractor frame 49and the carrier 1 is tightened by the tension spring 54, the load of themower cutter bar is effectively balanced, so that the carrier 1 can begripped at the inside shoe 3 and easily brought into the verticalposition according to FIG. 6. The tractor frame 49 can thereby belowered in the supporting frame 46 to such an extent, that it lies withits stop 50 against the transverse member 47. Now the entire mowingmachine can be pivoted into its highest position by means of the tractorhydraulics.

In all these operational steps the protective plate 67 essentiallyfollows the movement of the carrier 1.

While we have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, itis to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only andnot in a limiting sense.

We claim: l. A mowing machine adapted to be attached to a vehicle, as atractor or the like, comprising a carrier including cutter discs mountedthereon for rotation about a vertical axis and to overlap each other intheir operating areas,

. a plurality of gear wheels constituting disc drives disposed inside ofsaid carrier below the level of said cutter discs and extending to itsouter end for rotating saidcutter discs, and

a plurality of cutter gear wheels jointly connected to said cutter discsand disposed below said cutter I discs, each cutter gear wheel meshingthe corresponding of said gear wheels,

a carrying device and a drawing device adapted to be connected to therear end of a tractor frame and to its transmission, respectively,

said carrier-pivotally connected to said tractor frame,

tension spring means and a cable means connecting said carrying devicewith said carrier, for balancing out at least a part of the weight ofsaid carrier upon pivotally raising the latter into a transporting position,

a protective cover member disposed above and spaced from said cutterdiscs,

said protective cover member comprises a plate means pivotally mountedto said tractor frame, and

a lever pivotally connected to said plate means and pivotally connectedto said carrier, connecting said plate means with said carrier, suchthat said plate means moves automatically closer to said cutter discsupon pivotally raising said carrier into said transporting position. I

2. The mowing machine, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said protective cover member is pivotally connected to saidtractor frame at an inner portion of said cover member and extends freetherefrom out-

1. A mowing machine adapted to be attached to a vehicle, as a tractor orthe like, comprising a carrier including cutter discs mounted thereonfor rotation about a vertical axis and to overlap each other in theiroperating areas, a plurality of gear wheels constituting disc drivesdisposed inside of said carrier below the level of said cutter discs andextending to its outer end for rotating said cutter discs, and aplurality of cutter gear wheels jointly connected to said cutter discsand disposed below said cutter discs, each cutter gear wheel meshing thecorresponding of said gear wheels, a carrying device and a drawingdevice adapted to be connected to the rear end of a tractor frame and toits transmission, respectively, said carrier pivotally connected to saidtractor frame, tension spring means and a cable means connecting saidcarrying device with said carrier, for balancing out at least a part ofthe weight of said carrier upon pivotally raising the latter into atransporting position, a protective cover member disposed above andspaced from said cutter discs, said protective cover member comprises aplate means pivotally mounted to said tractor frame, and a leverpivotally connected to said plate means and pivotally connected to saidcarrier, connecting said plate means with said carrier, such that saidplate means moves automatically closer to said cutter discs uponpivotally raising said carrier into said transporting position.
 2. Themowing machine, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said protective covermember is pivotally connected to said tractor frame at an inner portionof said cover member and extends free therefrom outwardly above saidcutter discs.